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Jalapeno Pepper Burn Treatment

Submitted by Paulette

I was recently burned after working with Jalapeno Peppers. After trying several "remedies" and getting no relief, someone told me to put rubbing alcohol on the area. I dabbed it on with a cotton ball and literally within minutes the pain was gone.

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The following was sent in by Debbie

I had habanero pepper burns on my fingers.... (didn't wear gloves ... dummy!) I called poison control center after 5 hours of doing everything I saw on the internet ... vinegar, aloe, alcohol, baking soda ... they told me that I didn't allow enough time for the "capsacian" to neutralize. He told me to soak my hands in an antacid like Milk of Magnesia or Mylanta and keep it on my hands for at least 20-30 minutes. I followed the instructions, but the first 10-15 minutes were so painful I wanted to quit and put my hands in ice water!!! But, I pressed through with the help of my family and finally my hands stopped burning!!!! I bet that most of these remedies work ... but you need to allow "time" to neutralize the capsacian!!! Good luck ... and wear gloves next time!

Visitors comments

Alcohol helped! Comments By: anon on 2008-10-12 I even used gloves and STILL got a burn! I guess you can't use disposable gloves for more than one pepper session. What didn't work: soap, cold water, butter, aloe vera. The aloe actually seemed to make it worse! So I googled and found this site. Soaked my fingers in the rubbing alcohol; still have some burning around my nail beds but at least my fingers aren't throbbing anymore! And the hot-water burn I gave my hand earlier (has NOT been a good day) is even better!   Pee! Pee! I swear the pain will go away instantly! Comments By: Alexis on 2008-10-12 It's the ammonia in the urine that makes it so unbelievably effective, and I only wish I'd tried it long before the rubbing alcohol, milk, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, cortizone, ice, and paint thinner--all of which only gave here-and-there relief without permanently stopping the pain. Finally, after nearly five hours of waging war on my raw, pruned hands, I took a seat on the toilet, held both of my fiery palms beneath that glorious stream, rubbed them together to get every inch covered, and then let them air dry for a couple minutes before washing with soap and water. The pain was completely, completely gone. That was over an hour ago, and while my hands are still tender (probably due as much to my many attempted remedies as to the original demon pepper), I know I will actually get to sleep tonight... Fellow sufferers, don't go through agony for another minute; pee that pain away. It's free, it's gentle, it's clean, and it works like a dream. I haven't stopped smiling since.   WINE!!! Comments By: Gidget on 2008-10-14 I tried just about every suggestion on this sight, all the while drinking a couple glasses of wine. Ice, aloe, Gojo & Dawn, rubbing alcohol, germ x, milk,baking soda, veg. oil, vinegar, Bacardi 151 soak,I laughed as I peed on my hands. They were still burning, although less. I soaked my hands and little thin cotton gloves w/Solarcaine, that and my wine buzz, slept like a baby. Burn is gone in the morning. Good Luck all!   JUST SHOOT ME NOW!!! Comments By: SONDRA on 2008-10-14 Yesturday I cut and deseeded about 24 jalapenos, I have never worked with them before and never even considered that they would burn my hands, but Oh My God!! Its 26 hours later THAT'S RIGHT I SAID 26 HOURS LATER!!!! Yesturday shortly after the burning began and got very intense I was washing with soap and water which wasn't working I had no idea I was spreading it! I tried soaking in milk and it only provided short term relief due to being cold, then I tried covering my hands in sugar since you eat sugar to take the burn out of your mouth, well that didn't work either, so when I tried to fall asleep the only thing that would work was running my hands under freezing water until I couldn't feel them anymore, and then I would quick jump into bed and hope that my hands wouldn't thaw out before I could fall asleep, I had to repeat this several times before I got about 3 hours of sleep, I woke up and pain was still there, now its about 26 hours later and I have just scrubbed my hands with rubbing alcohol, and than made a paste of water and baking soda and let it dry leaving it on for about 25 min. I am about to repeat this process since its only taken away about 50% of the pain but this time I will mix rubbing alcohol with the baking soda. Thanks for this site its great and I just can't stop laughing thinking about people peeing on their hands to get some relief!! Don't get me wrong if this hadn't helped at all that was the next step lol!!!! Good luck all!   You need me and no one else Comments By: LIme Juicer on 2008-10-15 OK, well we had an incident where my sister was cutting peppers and touched her face by accident. Right away she starting to feel her face burn. We tried everything from milk, lemon juice, baking soda, polysporin, and then after searching the fridge we tried lime juice and within a couple minutes her face stopped burning. After all that writing Lime Juice is the anwser.   this worked the best for me Comments By: Sarah on 2008-10-18 Cuttin jalepenos ~~~ the last few times the burning of cutting jalepenos has only been eased by washing my hand with a de-greaser hand soap. The one my husband has on hand is from NAPA; Waterless Hand Cleaner with skin conditioners. It has worked for me, each and every time. I let it soak in for a bit before I wash it off.   The Nose Knows (MILK)!!! Comments By: Terri on 2008-10-19 My daughter just cut frozen Jalapenos and discovered that even frozen they still pack quite a punch! She made the mistake of wiping her nose after and boy oh boy did she catch HELL! The rubbing alcohol did not work for her at all, she had to literally stick her nose into a glass of milk for about 5 mins. The top lip still tingles but the nose is back to normal.   INSTANT RELIEF! Comments By: LoraM on 2008-10-21 This was the most horrible pain I have ever experienced!! We tried everything my husband could find on the internet: dawn, aloe, germX, vinegar, milk, cortisone cream, baking soda/water paste, soaking in ice water, and lidocaine spray.....NOTHING worked. Ten hours later, he ran to the pharmacy (live in small town & they are not open 24 hours) & asked the pharmacist for advice. He didn't know anything else to try. My hubby bought "STING AWAY"...a spray for Jelly Fish stings. It worked!! It took the swelling down, took away some of the redness, and REALLY helped the pain. Why a pharmacy in Kentucky had Sting Away, I do not know--but it did work!   eyes and nose Comments By: justin on 2008-10-25 i chopped jalepenos and didnt even realize it but due to a cold,i rubbed my eyes and nose.i was going blind and couldnt stand it.logged on,tried alcohol.worked ok.lemon juice was the ticket.if you do not have lemon juice,drive straight to the store.instant relief.   Dip your hands in Urine Comments By: Sophia on 2008-10-24 Urine! Urine! Urine! Is the answer IMO. I tried rubbing alcohol, dipping the finger in Patron (80 proof), lime juice and soap. The urine instantly did the trick. You don't have to be dramatic and PEE on your hands. Just urinate in a cup and dip it in for a couple of secs, air dry then wash with soap and water. Avoid shaking hands for a day or so (just kidding)!!!   CALAMINE LOTION Comments By: CALAMINE LOTION on 2008-10-25 The pink stuff works. It's used for poison ivy/oak but works for jalapeno hands too. Desperate, I drove to Walgreens and picked up a bottle. Didn't even wait to get home before I started covering my fingers with it at the parking lot. Drove home in about 10 minutes, washed it off and found INSTANT relief. No more burning. CALAMINE LOTION WORKS   ill start hating jps Comments By: thupden on 2008-10-25 was acting too smart and had two of them with my pasta then the show begins afte 2 hrs when i strat feeling as if i am in hell its already 3 am and i am not off to sleep as yet tried lemon juice, water, alloveracream,beer,mouth wash,hairgel,nothing is aorking at all all i want to tell evey one here is welcome to hell i hate the jps   GO JO Comments By: tara on 2008-10-26 Go Jo hand cleaner was the bomb, followed by VERY hot water   !! BAKING SODA PASTE WORKS !! Comments By: Deb on 2008-10-26 After reading the majority of people say "bakig soda paste", I tried it. Milk didnt do it, not an anti-burn medication. I had touched the killer pepper with the back of my hands somehow and was burning all night. Made the paste, left on for a few minutes. Instant relief. I washed off and started to feel again, but at 30%. Probably could have left one and put a sock over my hand....   I don't know Comments By: laura on 2008-11-03 I tried everything... Lemon Juice, butter, Water, Flour, Rubbing Alcohol, I found a little relief when I put Baking Soda IN my Milk... but right before bed when I took off my make up and then put this EYE SOOTHING (cucumber I think) Gel from M.K. on my hands as a "hum... what have I got to loose" moment and it relieved me INSTANTLY!!!!   BURN BURN Comments By: L on 2008-11-03 TRY MILK AND BAKING SODA MIXED TOGETHER AS A PASTE....WORKS SOOO GOOD!   The Eclectic Approach Comments By: Steve on 2008-11-03 My wife had this experience and tried washing her hands, running her hands under cold water, milk, orange juice, baking soda paste, alcohol, and vegetable oil. The alcohol and vegetable oil seemed to offer the most relief. I think I would recommend the following process if any one of these has not worked: - Soak in alcohol. - Wash hands with soap and water. - Wash hands with vegetable oil. - Wash hands with soap and water. - Wash hands with vegetable oil. - Wash hands with soap and water. - Repeat From everything I've read, it seems that dishwashing soap (Dawn, etc.), alcohol, and oil will disolve the oil from the peppers that is causing the burning sensation. My wife's hands are still burning, but have been getting better and better as she continues using the above routine. She has been at it for approximately one and a half hours. Her hands are much much better.   Lessen the burning pain of Jalapeno Pepper Comments By: Nic on 2008-11-04 I tried just about everything on the list, decided to take things into my own hands and grabbed the peroxide! Soak your hand(s) in a cup full of peroxide for 5 to 10 mins. Repeat if needed after 30 mins. Took the pain away for me!!   jalp n super hot pepper flaming hands Comments By: Shannon on 2008-11-05 took perscription advil, rubbing alcohol didn't work for me, sex helps but doesn't cure, baking soda rubbing with water temp. solution, kept soaking hands in ice bath, drank lots of wine, took another advil, kept holding frozen rags, then held really cold water bottles so I could fall asleep and let it pass through systen it took 12 hrs.!!!!   Time is the cure! Comments By: Hot Hands on 2008-11-09 I tried everything--baking soda paste, rubbing alcohol, milk, orange juice, lemon, vegetable oil, calamine lotion, Dawn dish soap, etc.--none of it worked for me. Each of these provided temporary relief which was valuable, but the terrible pain always returned. I put ice in a baggie and kept it on my hands for hours (alternatively put your hands directly in a bowl of ice water) and got into bed. I finally fell asleep at 3:30 am w/the pain minimized. Time was the real cure.   thank goodness for your advice! Comments By: nicole h on 2008-11-10 rubbing alcohol worked for me -barcadi limon ! i smell like a mojoito but no complaints!   Nail-Polish Remover Comments By: From Egypt on 2008-11-10 I didn't have any rubbing alcohol, so I reached for the nail-polish remover and within minutes my face and hands were back to normal. I'm glad I looked up how to fix the burning I was feeling.   Jalapen in my eye? Comments By: Dan on 2008-11-11 I used one Alcohol Prep Pad applied lightly around my eye. It burned like crazy at first but then after a minute or two was nearly gone.   Habanero is unstopable!!! Comments By: Anon on 2008-11-13 I made a habanero salsa and accidentally got some on my nose. I spent hours trying every cure and nothing works. There is no mythical habanero cure. The only thing to do is pray.   It happened so FAST Comments By: alex f on 2008-11-14 just got the gnarliest burn from slicing a jalapeno, tried rubbing alcohol first, then milk , then citrus..... it was getting worse, so i tried a clay mask because it just sounded reasonable and i was willing to try anything.....after ten minutes the pain has decreased dramatically and Im now finishing my salsa and writing this blog...this means that i can see and walk and use my hand,,, relief at last   Eased the burn Comments By: Vbrown on 2008-11-15 The rubbing alchohol worked as a temp fix for me.   IN MY EYES Comments By: Candice on 2008-11-16 I chopped up peppers and then STUPIDLY rubbed my eyes. MY EYES WERE IN AGONY FOR SIX HOURS!!! The only thing that worked was crying, cold compress, pacing back and forth, swearing and saline solution. I have never been in so much pain in my whole life. Next time I am wearing latex gloves!   the ONLY relief for burning hands due to jalapeno peppers Comments By: Jo on 2008-11-17 After 5.5 hours of excruciating pain from chopping jalapenos and trying many remedies found here, I cut a piece of my aloe plant and rubbed the liquid on my hand. Immediate relief!!!! Have a plant on hand...comes in handy!   Ow :( Comments By: Jalapenos Are Not My Friend :( on 2008-11-22 So I was cutting up jalapeno peppers and no one thought to tell me to wash my hands BEFORE touching my face. I am now in excruciating pain. I have tried ice, but every time I remove it, the pain comes back ten times worse. I tried aloe vera, milk, almost everything we could think of. I didnt try rubbing alcohol because of the location. Right now, I'm using baking soda and milk, mixed into a really thick paste. It seems to be working for the moment but make sure you really cake it on thick (it didnt work otherwise.) At the moment. I look like santa :(   we all scream for ice cream! Comments By: Jen on 2008-12-02 My fiance was chopping jalapenos and accidentally rubbed his nose. An intense burning immediately flared up, and we tried milk, then a paste with baking soda, and when these failed to put out the fire, he resigned to put up with it, and as a diversion, had some ice cream. Lo and behold, the burning went away! Maybe it was the combination of all three that finally did the trick, but he'd like to think it's ice cream that soothes all sores!   aspirin Comments By: anne on 2008-11-30 tried a lot of stuff ended up making a paste of asprin and it worked, had to wash hands inbetween drying and reapplying twice but it worked immediately.   Rubbed it all ove my face. Comments By: moe on 2008-11-29 hey there everyone. I try at home facial remeides. I rubbed a Jalopeno pepper all over my face. it activates as an acid peel. my face burned like hell but I rubbed yogurt on my face, and let it sit for 5 mins, then used a tomato, and then Vegetable oil set as the mask, the pain is gone. face is no longer red. take it as is. I rubbed a red pJalapeno pepper all over my face. lol. and now my acne scars are gone, and the pain is gone. try it.   PEANUT BUTTER Comments By: Calburger on 2008-12-03 I swear. I tried cottage cheese, lime juice, vineagar and then I stuck my hand in the ol' PB Jar and smeared a big wad of cold PB on my upper lip (where my burn was located.) This is a good solution for a facial burn because it actually sticks! I have a hot PB mustache and a huge smile on my face. But it's making me HANGRY!   baki g soda and milk!!!! Comments By: anon on 2008-12-06 okay, i was being dumb andseeding jalapenos,and first my nose started hurting. then my eye started hurting. SOOO BAD!!! then my WHOLE FACE stared burning.i looked desperately for a remedy.i found one that looked appealing:milk and baking soda. A LIFESAVER! instant relief within 5 mins.trust me it works! such icy goodness.. got to go still soaking. << previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 next >>>